This invention relates to a protector for a blood or coeliac liquid-sampling needle which, after collection of blood or coeliac liquid, seals the end opening of the sampling needle for protection.
After the collection of blood by a sampling needle for measurement of the quantity of a blood gas, the sampling needle has hitherto been thrust into a rubber cock or block to prevent the collected blood from leaking out or being brought into contact with air and also to protect the end portion of the sampling needle. However, such customary practice tends to cause the operator's hands or fingers to be wounded by the tip of the sampling needle which happens to pierce throughout the rubber material. Moreover, since the sampling needle is generally left bare, the operator is in danger of touching the collected blood of, for example, a patient which has leaked from the sampling needle, probably leading to the possiblity of being infected by the later described disease through said wounded parts. Therefore, the operator must use great caution in handling the sampling needle.
Further, where the sampling needle is simply thrust into a rubber cock or block, then difficulties arise that if undergoing vibrations or shocks during, for example, transit, the sampling needle comes off the rubber cock or block with relative ease, causing the blood to leak out or be contacted by the atmosphere. If, in case measurement is to be made of the quantity of a gas contained in the blood or coeliac liquid, a sample to be tested is brought into contact with the atmosphere or air is carried into the sample, then the results of said measurement will be prominently affected by such happenings, failing to provide accurate data on the quantity of blood gas. Therefore, the result of a single test has hitherto been regarded as unreliable. Further, each time a test is carried out, a sampling needle fitted to a sampler has to be taken off directly by hand. In this case, the removal of the sampling needle is accompanied with great difficulties, giving rise to the drawback that the operator's hands or clothing is often soiled due to the leakage of collected blood. Difficulties the same as described above also take place, where a coeliac liquid is sampled.